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air bags for front lift?

Old Aug 7, 2006 | 03:16 PM
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air bags for front lift?

I have some pretty saggy stock front leafs.they are dearched to the point wear they are 1/2 mabby 3/4" form the bump stops. Now I would like to level the truck out so I can put on some 33"s but the wife has given me a $0 budget for a lift kit.

but I have alot of air bags floting around hear. (I bag trucks on the side). I have some firstone 2500# or 2600# or some big sleave bags. But I wonder how it would ride? it is allready harsh, but I kinda blame that on it being so close to the bump stop all ready.


I would be looking to life it about 3" with the bag. I allready have all the brackets and air line. I wouldent be trying to make this ajustable. just a shrader valve to get it the right height.






what do ya think?
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Old Aug 7, 2006 | 03:32 PM
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It'll help, but it's not the right answer. Like we say in the biz: "There's no substitute for hardware..."
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Old Aug 7, 2006 | 04:48 PM
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http://www.keldermanairride.com/prod...hp?id=93DDGFRT

I think if you have the bags, and brackets that it'll work really well. If setup properly, I would think it should ride better than even the skyjacker springs!!

I say go for it, I would.
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Old Aug 7, 2006 | 07:44 PM
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thanks dude great link!


I have a top bracket just like that. I will have to bulid somthing for the rear. but thats what I do so it aint no big deal.


hahah you can even see in this pic the lower leafes are still arched backwards




and this rear shackel bag looks pretty darn cool. bet that rides nice

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Old Aug 7, 2006 | 07:59 PM
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Keldermann flips the lower 3 leaves to put more load on the bag. Makes it ride better.

I've been jonesin' for that rear system for years, but I keep blowing all my truck funds on stuff that makes it go faster.
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Old Aug 7, 2006 | 09:51 PM
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The price seems really high. I wish I had the tools to fabricate this kind of stuff. It doesn't seem like the front brackets would be too hard to make.
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Old Aug 8, 2006 | 09:52 AM
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Instead of spending money on the rea air shackle setup I have thought about putting in longer rear leafs. The short packs these trucks use is the reason for the stiff ride. Put in some 63" long leafs from an 88+ chevy would be a huge improvement. May have to run an antiwrap bar along with them because of the tall blocks dodge used on the 4x4 trucks.

Andy
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Old Aug 8, 2006 | 03:27 PM
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Originally Posted by andyr354
Instead of spending money on the rea air shackle setup I have thought about putting in longer rear leafs. The short packs these trucks use is the reason for the stiff ride. Put in some 63" long leafs from an 88+ chevy would be a huge improvement. May have to run an antiwrap bar along with them because of the tall blocks dodge used on the 4x4 trucks.

Andy
if your going to put the springs in your going to have to move the perches. so mount the springs so that you get rid of the block.
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Old Aug 8, 2006 | 04:10 PM
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You could get rid of them with lift springs for they chevy application. I was just looking at ones pulled from a junkyard though. There isn't enough arch without dropping the hanger and shackle mounts below the frame quite a bit if the blocks weren't there.
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Old Aug 8, 2006 | 07:04 PM
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The Kelderman system for the front is just plain stupid, the back is "similar" too a big rig, and thats cool.
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Old Aug 8, 2006 | 07:58 PM
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Originally Posted by ruquik
The Kelderman system for the front is just plain stupid, the back is "similar" too a big rig, and thats cool.

care to explain why you feal the front system is stupid?
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Old Aug 8, 2006 | 08:33 PM
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How much is Kelderman asking for that rear setup? Can't seem to find any pricing on their web site. Bet it's pretty expensive!!!!!
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Old Aug 9, 2006 | 08:00 AM
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I think the front would be nice for when I have the plow on in the winter, other than that I can't really see where it would help anything?
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Old Aug 9, 2006 | 08:48 AM
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Originally Posted by ruquik
The Kelderman system for the front is just plain stupid, the back is "similar" too a big rig, and thats cool.

Care to explain why its "stupid"?

It is mounted the same way as all the other rear systems are. It would be good to not only compensate for sagging stock springs and wanted a little lift, but also if you added a lot of extra weight, like a snow plow. It probably wouldn't help the ride too much if you wanted to ride around empty with it lifted as you would have to have a lot of air pressure in the bags, but if you ran around with less than 20psi I think it would ride very well, especially with worn out stock springs.
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Old Aug 9, 2006 | 10:01 AM
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Care to explain why its "stupid"?
Sure, $900 for two bags is retarded
There is nothing to it, why not just do it the right way and change the springs out. And the original quesiton had nothing to do with plows.

Why no just fab up a reverse ladder bar sytem and use it with the bags, instead of cheaping out on it by using old sagging springs, that could probably stand to, at the very least, have new bushings put in.

Also, air ride suspensions require a lot more dampening to control the "floatyness" of the bags.

Last edited by wannadiesel; Aug 9, 2006 at 03:57 PM. Reason: site rules violation
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